When the C8 Corvette was released in 2020 the automotive industry was buzzing with excitement. Thoughts of 1,000-plus horsepower C8s with forced induction were talked about on social media and in online forums. Tuners and builders were giddy to get their hands on the new Corvette and see what was possible. Unfortunately, industry leaders like HP Tuners and Vengeance Racing (VR) would be met with a monumental challenge in the mid-engine supercar killer. 

The E99 Global B Engine Control Module (ECM) until now has been a giant roadblock for the aftermarket industry due to its highly secure and encrypted architecture that is supposed to keep tuners from making changes to its calibration files.

The Global B control modules used in the C8 and Cadillac Blackwing cars can be likened to Fort Knox in terms of being able to make changes within the tune files. And the General wants it that way. At the time of the C8 release in 2020, Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter said the company’s goal was to make its products “as hack-proof as possible,” adding that Chevrolet would not assist aftermarket companies with any backdoors past its security measures. 

That stance by GM and the encryption of the Global B system posed quite a challenge for companies like HP Tuners and Vengeance Racing. However, things like this have rarely ever stopped the automotive aftermarket. 

Cracking The Code

Today, HP Tuners is very excited to announce the industry’s first comprehensive diagnostics and customizable calibration solution for the latest vehicles running GM’s Global B control modules. This breakthrough is a big leap forward for HP Tuners and the tuning industry as a whole as it places full diagnostic and tuning control in the hands of enthusiasts and professionals.

The announcement by HP Tuners is not limited to the C8 Corvette. Cadillac Blackwing owners can also have the factory ECM tuned.

With the HP Tuners’ control module services, professional builders and tuners will have access to their full VCM Suite for running diagnostics as well as controlling hundreds of engine and transmission parameters including boost, camshaft timing, air/fuel ratio, injector timing, and many more. 

The latest generation of the familiar MPVI3 OBDII module from HP Tuners provides the connectivity for tuning Global B control modules.

Once upgraded, the Global B modules can be tuned via the vehicles’ OBDII port using the latest generation MPVI3 interface from HP Tuners. At launch, HP Tuners is offering support services for the E99 ECM found in the 2020-2023 C8 Corvette, Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, and CT4-V Blackwing (and non-Blackwing variants). Additionally, the T93 trans control module found in E99-equipped GM vehicles with the 10-speed automatic transmission will have limited support at launch, with full support of the T93 TCM being released in the coming months along with support for the remaining GM Global B controllers including the E90, E01, and E66. At launch, HP Tuners support for Global B controllers will be available to select Authorized Dealers.

This is only the start of all the GM Global B support we plan to offer. This has been a long time coming and is a testament to our team’s ability to adapt and overcome challenges in the automotive aftermarket. – Andrew Mernone, Chief Operating Officer, Hp Tuners 

Staying Out Front

Wasting no time putting the HP Tuners’ newest capabilities to use, Vengeance Racing is proud to showcase the world’s first twin-turbo C8 tuned with the factory ECM using the VCM Suite software. Ron Mowen and the team at Vengeance Racing have long been a leader in building high horsepower late model GM cars, as well as being a long-time customer of HP Tuners’ services and support. 

Although the test car has been down the drag strip, it is not specifically set up for getting the best times. Riding on street tires is the limiting factor, but it looks great with the Forgeline VX1 wheels.

This exciting news has been a long time in the making and a test of patience for Mowen. Upon taking delivery of one of the first 75 C8 Stingrays available in 2020, the crew at Vengeance Racing immediately got to work developing a twin-turbo package for the mid-engine Corvette.

From the day it was designed and announced with the mid-engine layout the C8 has screamed “twin-turbo” to me. – Ron Mowen, Owner, Vengeance Racing

Patience Pays Off

Working with Huron Speed on an exclusive package for VR, it didn’t take long to have a production-ready twin turbo package. At the time, tuning the car with the factory ECM was not an option. In speaking with Mowen about the ECM calibration challenges he had this to say, “There are various piggyback modules and things that others have done to trick or spoof the factory ECM in boosted applications. I just didn’t feel that it was a deliverable solution for the Vengeance Racing customers, and so we waited.” 

Being patient for a tuning solution for almost three years, all while customers are wanting their C8s to get the VR twin-turbo treatment takes steady nerves and a lot of confidence in companies like HP Tuners to come through. “We considered caving in and going a different direction several times, but when HP Tuners contacted us and said they had a solution we dropped everything and immediately got our C8 ready for the launch announcement. With the car on the dyno at Huron Speed and our go-to engine tuner, Branden Leeb of Elite Tuned, on the laptop, we made 650 horsepower and 560 lb.-ft. of torque at the rear wheels with six-pound springs in the wastegates on the stock engine and DCT trans,” Mowen said.

The twin-turbo package developed in partnership with Huron Speed fits nicely behind all of the factory body panels.

The Vengeance Racing twin-turbo package for C8 Corvettes features Comp Turbo 62 mm turbos, an air-to-water intercooler, wastegates, and factory ECM tuning. The result is 650 horsepower at the wheels utilizing the factory electronics and fuel system. According to Mowen, this twin-turbo package is the base offering from Vengeance Racing, with plans to offer various upgrades and options. In addition to the C8 twin-turbo package, Mowen said they also have a Blackwing in the shop undergoing the full VR treatment which will be tuned with the factory ECM and HP Tuners software. 

With the announcement of factory ECM tuning capabilities from HP Tuners combined with the Vengeance Racing twin turbo package, we can’t wait to see what the talented VR team will produce with aftermarket engines, upgraded fuel systems, and stronger DCT trans components. If you are a C8 or Cadillac Blackwing owner that’s been waiting for this type of build, you better jump on the Vengeance Racing list quickly.